Where's Glynn?
by IeuanR
Summary: Thomas wonders what happened to Glynn the Coffee Pot Engine.
1. Chapter 1- Where's Glynn?

One night at Tidmouth Sheds the Steam Team were talking about their early days and adventures on the Island of Sodor. Each had an interesting story to tell.

"I remember when I set the Sodor Speed Record just a week after I arrived!" Gordon boasted.

"And I remember when Spencer beat your record by a mile! Or rather 20 miles per hour" Percy chuckled to Gordon's annoyance.

"I remember when I saved Oliver and Thomas and received my coaches as a reward" Emily remembered.

"I remember when I came here long long ago. The railway was new and not even a quarter of its current size with far fewer engines. And adventures" Edward said.

Thomas thought of his early days on Sodor, of his early adventures from shunting trucks in the yard to leaving his coaches behind to rescuing James and receiving his Branch line. He then remembered his first day on his Branch line. Travelling from Knapford seeing new sights and stations along the way to Ffarqhar. Then he remembered something he had long forgot. No, someone, on an old overgrown siding.

"An engine" he whispered.

"What did you say Thomas?" Percy asked.

"An engine! I remember talking to a old engine on a siding near Ffarqhar Station. He was red and had a weird vertical boiler" Thomas explained.

"A Coffee Pot!" Edward exclaimed "I have many fond memories of those engines. Do you know his name?"

Thomas thought for a moment "I think his name was Glynn. He had the Number 1"

"Ah, Glynn always a cheery, friendly fellow, even after the other 3 Coffee Pots had been... been..." Edward couldn't finish his sentence but the others guessed what he ment.

"No need to continue, Edward" Emily said.

"The then Fat Controller tried to stop it, but the Board of Directors insisted. Glynn was lucky to have survived" Edward said sadly.

"Glynn was rather cheery despite the state of him." Thomas said "I remember him being on the siding for a few months after getting my branch line, and we always chatted whenever I came to Ffarqhar, but one day he just vanished. I asked around but nobody knew where he'd gone. I wonder what happened to him?"

"Almost certainly scrapped Thomas. It's sad I know, but those engines just weren't that useful." Gordon replied.

"That can't be true Gordon" the Tank Engine said.

"It pains me to say it Thomas, but Gordon's right. The Coffee Pots were made cheaply to do work till the Railway could get better engines like us. By Gordon's arrival the first three were breaking down and deemed unnecessary, and they weren't the only ones either. By James' arrival Glynn was too. While I wish it wasn't so, Glynn is more than likely long gone".

Thomas was saddened to hear this, but there was something inside of him that said Glynn was still around and on Sodor and that he would be the one to find him.


	2. Chapter 2- There's Glynn!

That morning Thomas was very eager to start his search for Glynn. He wanted to head straight to Ffarqhar Station to begin but his crew reminded him that he had take Annie and Clarabel out on his morning train and that it was more important. On the journey he decided to ask his coaches what they knew about Glynn.

"Glynn?" Annie wondered "Wasn't he one of those lovely Coffee Pots?"

"Yes, what do you know about him?"

"Sadly not much" Clarabel said "The Coffee Pots did pull us in our early days but I think he mostly did goods."

"Didn't you meet him Thomas? And why are you asking about him?" Annie asked.

"Yes I did, and I'm asking because I'm going to find him!"

The coaches were excited by this. When they reached Ffarqhar Station Thomas shunted the coaches into a siding and began his search. He looked every where, in the sidings, in the Sheds and in the Yard but he couldn't find a single clue.

"Don't worry Thomas" his driver said "We need to go back to Knapford, so we can ask the Fat Controller about Glynn while we're there".

This cheered Thomas up and after being coupled up to his coaches he went straight back to Knapford as fast as his wheels could carry him. And when he reached the Station he could see the Fat Controller on the platform. He rushed over to speak with him.

"Sir! Sir! I need to talk to about a Coffee Pot called Glynn!" He said quickly.

"Talk slower Thomas!" The Fat Controller said "Did you say a Coffee Pot engine? I'm sorry but as far as I'm aware they were all scrapped before you even came to Sodor."

"One wasn't sir! Edward will tell you the same. And I believe he's still around. I want to ask if you can find more information about him, even where he is sir".

The Fat Controller was intrigued. "Hm, what few files I have about them, like I said, indicate they were scrapped before you came. But if Edward can verify... Very well Thomas I'll have a look over some old files. Now back to work, I'll tell you if I find anything".

"Yes sir! Thank you Sir! I'll work doubly useful!"

And with that he rushed off. The Fat Controller went to his office. He had always been intrigued by the Sudrian Coffee Pots, they were designed by his father and he had never seen one. But NWR Archives had very little information about them and all sources said they were all scrapped. But he decided to look over them anyway, before having a great idea!

Thomas was happy that the Fat Controller was looking for information about Glynn, and all day when ever he came back to Knapford he looked around for the Fat Controller to see if had had any news. But he didn't see him for the rest of the day. Nor the next morning. As the day went on he became worried, but as he was preparing for his last train the Fat Controller ran up.

"Thomas, I have good news" he declared "I looked over some of my father's old journals and found a page which said that he hid an engine in a shed in Knapford Shunting Yards."

"He's been in the Shunting Yards all this time? I'm going to find him right away!" He said excitedly.

"Stop Thomas!" The Fat Controller ordered "You have to take your last train first. Once you have meet me in the Shunting Yards and we'll see if we can find him"

So Thomas went to work, happy that his search for Glynn would already soon be over. When he returned to the Shunting Yards he was uncupled from his coaches, and saw the Fat Controller, Winston and... The Earl of Sodor waiting for him.

"Good evening, sirs" he said. "Uh, may I ask why the Earl is here?"

"I'm afraid, even with improvements, there is no work on the Railway for Glynn. Howev-"

"I'll be more than happy to have him on my Estate Railway!" The Earl interrupted "I need another engine to help with the work. The fact that he is a very important part of Sudrian railway history is a great bonus".

"That's great!" Thomas exclaimed "I'm sure he'd like Stephen and Millie"

"Now let the search begin!" The Earl declared. He and the Fat Controller jumped into Winston. The Fat Controller started driving but instead of going forwards the poor inspection car flew backwards narrowly avoiding hitting a truck. "Perhaps I should drive, Sir Topham?" The Earl suggested. The Fat Controller and Winston agreed. They searched the Yards and soon they found an old shed.

"He must be in here" the Fat Controller said "Open the doors!"

Thomas' driver and firemen opened the doors. But it wasn't Glynn inside.

"Judy!"

"Jerome?"

"Emergency!" Sodor's old breakdown cranes cried.

"No, no there's no emergency" The Fat Controller said "Were, uh, just inspecting the yard, just go back sleep" The cranes did just that. The Fat Controller turned to Thomas' driver. "Remind me to have them sent to the Steamworks for inspection. They'll be useful if something happens to Rocky".

After closing the shed door they went back to searching but they had no luck. They searched every inch of the Shunting Yards, in sheds and behind sheds. They looked behind lines of trucks and coaches and moved them too. They asked the rolling stock if they'd seen an engine like Glynn but none had. As it was getting dark they decide to give up, but then.

"Sir, Sir look!" Winston exclaimed "There's an old shed we haven't checked"

They went over to shed, it was small, old and would only berth a small engine. Thomas' driver and firemen tried to open the door but it wouldn't budge. The Earl and the Fat Controller decided to help. After a lot of effort the old doors fell open causing a lot of dust to fly into the air. Then they heard coughing. And a voice.

"Who's cough there?" Thomas recognised the voice instantly.

"It's me Mr Coffee Pot, Thomas!" The Tank Engine said excitedly.

The dust cleared to reveal Glynn, dusty and rusty but in rather good condition.

"T-Thomas? I never thought I'd see you or anyone else ever again! I've been in here for.."

"It's May 12th, 1975" Winston said.

"Almost 51 years!" Glynn finished. "I've been in here so long, the Railway must be very different nowadays".

The Fat Controller stepped forward "I'm Sir Charles Topham Hatt, son of your designer and the Controller of the NWR. I'm very pleased to meet you Glynn. And this here is my good friend Sir Robert Norramby, the Earl of Sodor"

"I'm very pleased to meet you Sir, and you Lord Sodor."

"No need for such formalities Glynn, just call me Sir." The Earl replied "And I'm pleased to tell you that your being restored to work on my Estate Railway at Ulfstead Castle".

"If my estimates are correct we should have him ready for work by the end of October" The Fat Controller noted.

"Oh thank you sirs" Glynn smiled from buffer to buffer. As did Thomas happy to have found his old friend.


	3. Chapter 3- Friends Forever!

The next morning Glynn was place on a flatbed for Thomas to take him to the Steamworks. They chatted all the way there.

"Are there any other Engines on the Branch Line these days, Thomas?" Glynn asked.

"Oh yes, there's my best friend Percy, Toby and his coach Henrietta. And Mavis at the Quarry. There was Daisy too, but she was recently moved to the new Harwick Branch Line."

"So many new engines!" Glynn exclaimed.

"And that's just on my Branch Line" Thomas replied.

When they arrived at the Steamworks work started on Glynn almost immediately. Kevin, Victor and the Workmen worked very hard and he was restored before the Fat Controller's estimate. He was repaired and improved. He was given a new coat of red paint and his long faded number was repainted. The Earl's crest was also added and his nameplate was polished as good as new. He looked grand and felt better than ever. Once the work was done Thomas was sent to collect him.

"You look great Glynn" He complemented.

"His restoration is definitely some of our best work" Mr Breswick agreed "Now get him to Ulfstead immediately Thomas. The Earl wants him there by noon. He has a big event planned."

Thomas quickly set off with Glynn to the Castle. When they arrived many people and engines had gathered to see Glynn. He was very surprised by the attention. Thomas was uncoupled from Glynn who began talking with the engines, firstly a very old friend.

"Edward!" He exclaimed happily "It's great to see you again. How are you?".

"It's great to see you as well Glynn. And I'm very well, thank you." The old engine replied.

Other engines had questions for Glynn.

"Were you on Sodor before even Edward?" Percy asked.

"Indeed I was. About 10 years before." Glynn replied.

"Though I am older than him." Edward added.

Glynn then noticed Stephen and Millie come up.

"I say is that THE Rocket?" He asked.

"Indeed I am!" Stephen replied. "But you can call me Stephen."

"And I'm Millie, we're the Earl's estate engines". The French engine said.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both, and I'm sure it'll be an even greater pleasure working with you". Glynn said.

They then heard a booming voice across some speakers asking for people's attention. It was the Fat Controller who wanted to make a speech.

"People and Engines of Sodor I thank you for coming to this special occasion for a very important engine in history. While I'm sure many would say that Stephen or the Flying Scotsman are far more important in railway history, Glynn is certainly more important in Sudrian railway history for he, and his brothers were the only engines ever designed and built on Sodor, by my father for the Knapford and Elsbridge Railway. They had given many loyal years of service but he is sadly the last of the coffee pots to survive and was lost for many years. But thanks to the efforts of Thomas the Tank Engine he is now found and may be preserved. It is my pleasure, on behalf of the North Western Railway, to donate Glynn to the Ulfstead Estate Railway which will look after him for years to come".

There was thunderous applause from the audience, long whistles from the steam engines and loud honks from the Diesels.

"A wonderful speech, Sir Topham!" The Earl congratulated. "I thank you for giving my railway such an important historical locomotive. We will take very good care of him".

A little while later Thomas and Glynn were happily chatting.

"Thank you Thomas for giving me a new life. I'll never be able to make it up to you" Glynn said.

"No need to do anything for me Glynn, I'll gladly do anything for a friend".

"Thank you. You will come and visit won't you?"

"Of course, I take a train here several times a week."

That night Thomas stayed at the Castle with Glynn, Stephen and Millie. They would remain friends forever.

* * *

 **Author's Note: This story will be rewritten when the Season 20 episode "The Christmas Coffepot" is realesed!**


End file.
